Method of making handles



April 13# 1937- w. K. coWDERY 2,076,764

METHOD OF MAKING HANDLES Filed July 30, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Warren/Cowa/erg,

INV NTOR. @L wily-L HIS ATTORNEYS.

f FIQS I BY April 33, 1937.

w. K. cowDERY 2,076,764 METHOD oF MAKING HANDLES Filed July 50, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 2 n e. n@

Warren /f Cown/ely, INVENTPR H15'. ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 13, 1937 METHOD `OF MAKING HANDLES Warren K. Cowdery,Ashtabula, Ohio, assigner 'to The American Fork & Hoe Company,Cleveland, Ohio, a 'corporation of Ohio Application July 30, 1936,Serial No. 93,402

1 Claim.

My inventin relates to material handling hand implements and method ofmaking the same, and relates more particularly to handles for tools suchas shovels, forks and the like.

5 It is customary to provide tools having Wood handles such as shovels,forks and similar implements, used in the agricultural and industrialelds, with stems or tangs generally integrally attached to the tool orimplement blade or head l and to drive such stem or tang`into a boreprovided in the lower end of such Wood handle and to reinforce thehandle endhaving the bore by an enclosing ferrule. Commonly the end ofthe handle of such implements is bent toward the 15 end of the handlehaving the bore which is enclosed by the ferrule to suitably positionthe head with respect to the straight portion of the handle which ismanually grasped in the use of the implement. Because oftheimpracticability of tele- .20 scoping a ferrule over the bend, suchferrules have heretofore had to be short, affording insufflcientreinforcement for the handle, or are provided with an openlongitudinally extending seam having/obvious disadvantages in vthemanufac- 25 ture, use, and appearanceof the tool.

Other attemptsto make implements with such ferrule' enclosures have beenobjectionable for various reasons. Also in forming the bend on the endof the handle, irrespective of the construction 3Q of ferrule or socketwhich is to be used thereon, therey is an inordinate amount of wastageof handles due to cracking\ and splitting of the handle by the methodsand apparatus heretofore employed for bending them, and =whereas in some35 cases the Wood handle ends are steamed or immersed in hot waterbefore lthe bending operation, subsequent shrinkage of the wood occurs,occasioning a loose t of the handle end, with the en- Vclosing ferrulewith resultantrveakening. of the 40 implement.'

'It is an object Qfmy--invention to provide a f new method of makingbent handles for tools.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an improvedr method ofattaching tool handles 45 and their ferrules together. v

Another 'object of my invention is to provide a new method of-simultaneously bending a tool handle and its ferrule together to form apermanent tight connection between the two.

Another object is to provide an improved construction of materialhandling implement having a wood handlebent adjacent the head of theimplement and with the bend telescoped and enclosed in a rigid benttubular ferrule or socket.

Another object is to provide an improved construction of materialhandling implement havl p ing a ferrule bent to conform to and enclosinga bend in the handle and continuing into a straight portion enclosing astraight portion of the handle beyond the bend.

Another object is Ato provide an improved method of bending Wood handlesby a bending mold in which a ferrule is utilized as a part of the mold.

Another object is to provide a joint construction for securing a Woodhandle to an implement head having improved characteristics of economyin manufacture.

. Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains.

My invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a material handling mplement of the fork typeembodyingmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the implement of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating separately and Ain its original form aferrule element illustrated in bent form in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view to an enlarged scale taken from theplane 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view illustrating separately a portion ofthe handle of the implement of Figs. 1v and 2 before it is bent as shownin those gures;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the handle and l ferrule of Figs. 5 and 3in assembled relation before being bent;

Fig. 7 is a View illustrating the handle and ferrule of Fig. 6 in a dieapparatus illustrating the bending thereof;

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, top plan and side elevational viewscorresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 but illustrating an implement of theshovel class, and illustrating also a non-tapering ferrule;

Figs. 10 and 11 are, respectively, side elevational and bottom planviews of an implement of thewshovel class formed with a handle socketand`illustrating steps of process of providing the same with a bentsocket and handle;

Figs. 12 and 13 are, respectively, side elevational and bottom plan.views of an'implement of the shovel class, generallysimilar to Figs. 10

- and 11 but illustrating a modification;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a modification;

Fig. 15 is an elevational view partially diagrammaticof an electricallyheated kiln in which the handle and ferrule are heated preparatory tobending, and A Fig. 16 is a top plan View of the kiln of Fig. 15. 5Referring to the drawings, Figs. l and 2, which illustrate a materialhandling implement of the fork type which is an embodiment of myinvention, I have shown at I the implement head in theform of a forkhaving a shank 2 extending therefrom, and driven into a bore in the endof a wood handle 3, and the end of the handle 3 adjacent the head Ibeing enclosed in a tubular metal ferrule 4. Both the handle and ferruleare bent adjacent the head I, and beyond the bent portion the ferrule isstraight as shown at 5, conforming to the straight portion of the handlebeyond the bend.

In constructing such an implement, the preferred procedure is asfollows: The ferrule 4 is preferably formed from a straight metal tube;the ferrule then being swaged at one Yend Ato slightly taper it, asshown at 6, to give ity the form yshown in Fig. 3. While othercross-sectional forms of ferrule 4 may be employed, I prefer to make theferrule circular in section as shown in Fig. 4 and formed from acylindrical tube.

The handle 3 is in general formed by the usual Wood-working processesand is made of thoroughly dried wood, and has on the end thereof a stemportion of reduced diameter 1, which in the implement underconsideration is tapered atI its' outer end as at 8 and an axiallyextending lshank-receiving bore 9 is formed in the end thereof. The stem'I is formed to a size to insure 3? a driving at in the ferruie a, thewood having been previously thoroughlyr dried as above stated.

After the wood has been dried and the tapered stem portion 'I is driveninto the ferrule 4, the parts appear as in Fig. 6.

40 The ferrule and the end of the handle located therein and forming thecore thereof are now heated to a temperature suflciently high to softenthe natural resins in that portion of the handle within the ferrule andforming such core.

Such a temperature preferably may range from about 300 F. to slightlyless than the -charring temperature of the wood. Any suitable means maybe used for this heating of the ferrules and their wood core. Forexample, the ferruled ends of a number of handles may be inserted in thekiln of Fig. 15.

Referring to Figs. 15'and 16, the kiln generally indicated at 30, isillustrated. The kiln comprises a hollow drum rotatably supported on abase 3| by a post 32, the post being rotated in any suitable manner asby a wlorm gear 33 fixed to the post and driven by a motor actuated worm34. A plurality of preferably concentrically disposed metal sockets 35are mounted within the drum and are adapted to receive the ferrule andassociated handle portion with the upper termination of theferrule beingsubstantially flushl with the top 36 of the drum. Thus, the handleportion outwardly of the ferrule is subjected to relatively mue heatingaction.

The drum illustrated is formed of metal and comprises a plurality ofconcentrically disposed 75 coils of resistance wire connected in seriesand supplied with current from a power source 39 through slip rings40-40 mounted on post 32.

As will be observed from Fig. 16,- the coils are closely adjacent thesockets 35 and in a generally uniform arrangement insuring an evendistribution of heat throughout the drum and to 4individual sockets.

The handles may be inserted within the sockets at one point in thepathof rotation of the drum and removed at another point, the speed of thedrum being regulated to insure a suflcient heating interval andsufficient time to insert and remove the handles.

After the ferrules and their handle cores have reached the propertemperature, the handles are removed and inserted between relativelyvertically reciprocable die elements IIJ and II (FigJI) having opposingconcaverecesses I2 and I3 substantially completely encircling theferrule 4, and so formed that when the dies are relatively reciprocatedin a relatively approaching direction to ultimately reach the positionsshown in Fig. 7, they will bend the ferrule 4 and the shank portion Itherewithin. The' drawing Fig. 7, illustrates the die elements in theircompletely closed position and illustrates the nal curvature of bendgiven to the ferrule and the stem portion therewithin. y

Beginning at the outer end and for a distance substantially the lengthof the bore 9, there is only a very little curvature as at I4. Beyondthis part and, as indicated at I5, .the bend is relatively abrupt, andstill further along the handle,VA as at I6, the curvature isdiscontinued and there is a portion substantially straight. While theseare the preferred characteristics of the bend, it will, of course, beapparent that it may be varied as desired and to adapt it more suitablyto different implements.

After removing the handles from the dies, they cool and the naturalresins of the wood congeal to maintain the wood bersin their alteredrelationship, occasioned by the bending. The handles may then be stored,to be later assembled with the fork or the like heads, or the heads maybe immediately assembled therewith, or if prelerred may beinsertedbefore ythe bending operation previously described. In eithercase, the shank 2 of the head is driven into the bore 9,

ordinarily with the convex side of the bend on the upper side of thehead as shown in Fig. 2.

No further provision is necessary to retain the ferrule permanently onthe handle or to prevent it rotating thereon, or to retain the handlestem,

ferrule and head tang in proper longitudinal relation, this'beingaccomplished by the curvature tionally secured in the handle by a rivetI'I, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

In forming a handle in this mam/1er, the'wood and the ferrule are moldedto each other and the ferrule in effect becomes a part of the formingdie during the forming process. Furthermore,

since the wood within the ferrule is at all times under the compression-of its drive t inthe ferrule, it is impossible for the wood to crack orsplit during the bending thereof so that wastage of handles by crackingand splitting during the bending operation thereof is avoided. In priorprocesses of bending handles, it has been necessary-to hold the benthandle in a clamp or jig to keep the bend in the wood until it had set;but by the above-described process, all such apparatus and the storagefor the handles during the setting process is rendered unnecessary, andthe Cil itself; but, if desired, the shank 2 may be additime consumed informing the bendvand attaching the ferrule by prior processes isenormously reduced.

While I prefer to employ a ferrule which is continuous in cross-sectionas illustrated in Fig. 4, my invention may be practiced with most of itsadvantages with 4a ferrule bent up from sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 14with an open seam or juncture illustrated at I8, which is preferablypermanently closed preferably by electrically Welding the abutting edgesof the seam together, as indicated at 23:12. l

The stem portion 1 above described is usually of smaller diameter thanthe handle proper and is 15 generally tapered in form. In some caseseither or both of these characteristics may be omitted. In Figs. 8 and 9is illustrated an implementpf the shovel type and is molded on a stemportion of a Wood handle which is of the same diameter as 20 the handleproper 2| the process employed being otherwise the same as thatdescribed above.

In Figs. 10 and 11 is illustrated the application of my invention to animplement of the type having a tubular handle socket 23 formedintegrally 2U with the blade 22. A previously dried handle 24 is driveninto the socket 23 as illustrated in broken lines and then the socketand the handle therewithin are inserted within the heating sockets inthe manner illustrated in Fig. 15, which shows 0 one form of apparatusfor applying dry heat to the ferruled handles for predetermined periods,asgpreviously described. The heatedferruled handle ends then are bent indies such as those illustrated in Fig. 7, but formed in accordance withthe 3" desired form and size of the tubular portion 23, to take the formillustrated in solid lines in Fig. 10, the end of the handIe or stemportion thereof and the socket surrounding it being molded to each otherto the requisite curvature as above described.

In Figs. 12 and 13 is illustrated a modification of lthe implement ofFigs. 10 and l1. In this form, a tubular socket 26 is butt-welded at 21to a short opensided or hollow back socket 28, and the end of the handleis driven into the socket thus formed as shown in broken lines, Fig. 12;and is then bent as above described, the socket and the handlethereWithin taking the form indicated in solid lines, this form ofsocket being preferred to that of Figs. 10 and 11 when the maximum ofstrength for the minimum Weight of material is essential, the tubularsocket 26 being obviously of greater strength for a given thickness ofmetal than the open-sided socket of Figs. 10 and 11.

In view ofthe complete description of the method and the articleresulting therefrom given above in connection with the form of Figs. 1and 2, it is believed that this brief description will be suicient inconnection with the form of Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive.

'I'he practice of my invention is distinguished from methods employinggreen or steam or hot water treated woods in that reliance is mainly hadupon the melting of the resins, Within which term, I include all of thenatural binding materials which normally maintain the wood bers in theirnormal relationship to each other, in order to permit relativelongitudinal displacement of adjacent fibers, while the bindingmaterials are in their plastic state; and then the enclosing ferrulemaintains the fibers in their relatively displaced positions during thesubsequent cooling operation whereupon the binding materials againfunction to maintain the fibers in their new relatively longitudinallydisplaced positions, no softening of the fibers by their moisturecontent, being herein relied upon to permit the bending.

My improved method leaves the wood stems in their nal form of the samediameters that they will have even after long continued use of theimplement without any subsequent shrinkage and consequent loosening of.the wood stems Within the ferrules.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention may bevariously practiced and that changes and modications may be made thereinresulting in changes and modifications in the handles and implementsabove described, sothat my invention is not limited to the exact detailsof process and implement herein described, but comprehends all suchmodifications and changes which come within the scope of the appendedclaim.

I claim:

The method of forming elongated wood handles for hand implements whichincludes tightly tting a generally tubular metal ferrule onto an endportion of a previously thoroughly dried Wood handle, simultaneously dryheating the ferrule and enclosed handle end portion to melt the naturalwood bre binding materials of the Wood material thereof, then bendingthe metal ferrule and the wood contained therewithin simultaneouslywhile the natural binding materials are still suiiiciently heated as .tostill be at least plastioally fluent, whereby longitudinal displacementof the fibres may occur without vsubstantial fracturing thereof, andthen permitting the Wood and enclosing ferrule to cool while the bentenclosing ferrule maintains the wood material andfibres thereof in bentform in the longitudinally displaced relationship imposed upon them bythe bending until said binding materials have solidified to cause saidbinding materials to maintain the Wood bres in l their longitudinallydisplaced relationship occasioned by the bending of the Wood handle endportion. ,Y

' WARREN K. COWDERY.

